A singular atlas of 100 infographic maps from thought-provoking to flat-out fun

Which countries don't have rivers? Which ones have North Korean embassies? Who drives on the "wrong" side of the road? How many national economies are bigger than California's? And where can you still find lions in the wild? You'll learn answers to these questions and many more in Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds. This one-of-a-kind atlas is packed with eye-opening analysis (Which nations have had female leaders?), whimsical insight (Where can’t you find a McDonald's?), and surprising connections that illuminate the contours of culture, history, and politics.

Each of these 100 maps will change the way you see the world—and your place in it.

Hardcover

208 pages

Written by Ian Wright

A Pocket History of Human Evolution: How We Became Sapiens

Product #: 141409

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Why aren't we more like other apes? How did we win the evolutionary race? Find out how "wise" Homo sapiens really are.

Prehistory has never been more exciting: New discoveries are overturning long-held theories left and right. Stone tools in Australia date back 65,000 years—a time when, we once thought, the first Sapiens had barely left Africa. DNA sequencing has unearthed a new hominid group—the Denisovans—and confirmed that crossbreeding with them (and Neanderthals) made Homo sapiens who we are today.

A Pocket History of Human Evolution brings us up-to-date on the exploits of all our ancient relatives. Paleoanthropologist Silvana Condemi and science journalist François Savatier consider what accelerated our evolution: Was it tools, our "large" brains, language, empathy, or something else entirely? And why are we the sole survivors among many early bipedal humans? Their conclusions reveal the various ways ancient humans live on today—from gossip as modern "grooming" to our gendered division of labor—and what the future might hold for our strange and unique species.

Paperback

160 pages

Written by Silvana Condemi and François Savatier

Beyond Extreme Close-Up Photography

Product #: 140701

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Extreme macrophotography opens up a new world for photographers, particularly biologists. By photographing subjects way beyond just life size magnifications, this book takes you a step closer to the very cells that make up organisms. Written with clarity and detail, Julian Cremona's enthusiasm for and knowledge of his subject makes this book an essential companion for everyone interested in photography and discovering the minutiae of the natural world. It advises on equipment and on low-cost and DIY photography solutions, explains how to use a microscope and its potential for photographers, and instructs how to light, support, and prepare a subject for best results. It also covers focus stacking: how to produce composite images with incredible depth of field, and encourages experimentation, suggesting ways to develop extreme close-up ideas.

Paperback

160 pages

Written by Julian Cremona

Forgotten Science: Strange Ideas From the Scrapheap of History

Product #: 140698

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Science has a reputation as the most logical and rational of human pastimes-but this has not always been the case. From the inventor Nikola Tesla, who fell in love with his favorite pigeon and tried to broadcast his own thoughts, to the wannabe chemist August Strindberg, who injected apples with drugs to see if they could get high, numerous scientists have conducted bizarre experiments down the centuries. Some of them were genuine geniuses; others were simply lone loons. History is littered with their wreckage, and this book tells the story of the very strangest. Proposing that science has become a kind of modern religion, and telling the tale of such noted pseudoscientific fads and fallacies as alchemy, spontaneous generation, and the doomed quest to raise the dead, Forgotten Science is sure to make you laugh at the same time as making you think. Science at school was never this weird.

Paperback

320 pages

Written by S. D. Tucker

British Wildlife Photography Awards: Collection 8

Product #: 140633

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This dazzling collection showcases the very best of the British Wildlife Photography Awards, presenting over 150 of the winning, commended and shortlisted images from the 2017 competition. Featuring a range of photography from world-leading professionals as well as inspired amateurs, it is a book that captures the magnificent diversity of the British Isles. Now in its eighth year, the annual competition has a long tradition of supporting conservation. It provides a platform for the finest examples of British nature photography, revealing its wonders to a wide audience and engaging with all ages through its evocative and powerful imagery. With a œ20,000 prize from lead sponsor Canon, it is one of the most prestigious photography competitions, attracting major sponsors and culminating in an exhibition at London's Mall Gallery. British Wildlife Photography Awards 8 is divided into the competition's fifteen categories, from Animal Portraits through to the Young People's Awards. Every photograph is beautifully reproduced in a large format, with detailed technical information alongside the photographer's personal account, to appeal to both photographers and natural historians. Featuring a fresh new design, and supported by a major media campaign, this is a book that will bring every reader closer to the often unseen and always surprising world of British nature.

Hardcover

208 pages

Written by Maggie Gowan

Mark Leonhard: A Few Feet Away

Product #: 140632

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Mark Leonhard is well known especially for his photographic portrait studies; this time, however, he takes the public by surprise with images of nature. His photographs of trees and bushes with dense foliage or the intricate network of twigs and branches offer nothing for the viewer's eyes to fixate on. And this is precisely what is so special about the works of Mark Leonhard: he reduces the camera's depth of field to such an extent that foreground and background seem to merge, forced into one single level of perception. The result is images of nature without space or depth.

Hardcover

96 pages

Edited by Klaus Honnef

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 24

Product #: 140631

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For 50 years, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has championed honest and ethical wildlife photography, while pushing the boundaries of artistic freedom, technical skill, and narrative excellence. The collection represents the work of many international photographers, both professionals and amateurs. The photographs are chosen by an international jury for their artistic merit and originality, from categories that together represent a diversity of natural subjects. The range of styles is also diverse, as is the genre of photography, whether action, macro, underwater, landscape, or environmental reportage. Together this outstanding collection is a reminder of the splendor, drama, and variety of life on Earth. Each stunning photograph is accompanied by an extended caption and there is an introduction by one of the world's most respected nature photographers.

Hardcover

160 pages

Edited by Rosamund Kidman Cox

Small Wonders: A Close Look at Natures Miniatures

Product #: 140629

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Award-winning nature photographers Stanley and Kaisa Breeden explore Australia's small animal life to reveal the wonder and beauty of looking closely into nature. Their specially developed digital photography techniques make it possible to see intriguing details you may never have suspected were there.

Hardcover

112 pages

Written by Stanley Breeden and Kaisa Breeden

Photographic Lighting

Product #: 140628

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While a flash unit-either built in to the camera or a separate device-offers the advantage of adding light to your images, its biggest disadvantage is the complex nature of the flash, which prevents many from using it to its full potential. Seeking an understanding of the nomenclature, the buttons and dials on the flash itself, and the menus inside is akin to trying to learn a foreign language. What is FEC? What does TTL mean and how is it used effectively? What is high-speed synchronization? How can the less technically gifted photographer understand the complexities of such systems and put them to effective use in the field? Studying a manual full of technical jargon is a daunting task and just as confusing as the flash itself. Professional photographer Robert Harrington takes the confusion out of the subject of photographic lighting, and offers invaluable guidance and expert tips that will benefit all keen photographers. Jargon-free text explains: the basics of flash, both on- and off-camera; how to utilize direct and bounce flash the basics of off-camera flash; how to take great portraits with a single Speedlight; the use of off-camera flash modifiers, such as softboxes and grids; and the creative employment of Speedlights, including use outdoors. Includes four punch-out quick reference cards at the back of the book.

Paperback

192 pages

Written by Robert Harrington

The Ultimate Guide to Digital Nature Photography

Product #: 140627

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Today's digital cameras are wonderful creative tools for nature photographers, but they can be a challenge to master-a problem that is thoroughly solved by the lessons provided in this guide by 10 of the most respected nature photographers in America. Representing the knowledge of professionals who have produced photography books and calendars, worked for nature magazines, and taught hundreds of photography workshop students, the book offers a step-by-step approach to improve both artistic vision and technical skills. Topics covered include equipment selection, use of digital functions, tips for capturing natural light, rules of composition, and special effects. Practical advice about launching a full-time nature photography career is also included.

Paperback

192 pages

Written by The Mountain Trail Photo Team

Photographing Nature in Action

Product #: 140626

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Filled with practical advice for the field and technical photograph instruction, this book is necessary reading for everyone who wants to capture exquisite shots of nature in action. It explains how to take great shots of animals moving in water, land, and air, as well as perhaps less obvious plant movement. It explains a camera's functions, and the fundamentals of good photography, and also shares ideas on setting up and taking photos in the field, as well as using a flight tunnel, aquarium, and microscope. Each photograph in the book is discussed, with details of the set-up, lighting, background, lens aperture, shutter speed, and ISO setting. The book also details the natural history and biology of the organisms, to give a greater appreciation of the photographs.

Paperback

160 pages

Written by Arnold Wilson

SUE: Welcome to the World of Tyrannosaurus Rex - Author Signed

Product #: 141501

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Tyrannosaurus rex is the most celebrated dinosaur of all time, and SUE is the most spectacular example of the species.

Discovered in 1990, SUE is one of the largest, and the most complete Tyrannosaurus specimen ever found. SUE - the fossil- is the crown jewel of the Field Museum in Chicago (and an internet celebrity). But what about SUE, the living, breathing animal?

Join award-winning author/illustrator Ted Rechlin (Jurassic, End of the Ice Age) and examine SUE's imposing skeleton to learn what their bones can tell us about the life and times of the most famous T. rex in this exciting graphic novel. Welcome to the world of Tyrannosaurus rex. Welcome to Sue's world.

Hardcover

For readers ages 9-12 years

Written and illustrated by Ted Rechlin

Limited quantity of signed copies

When Sue Found Sue

Product #: 140878

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From a very young age, Sue Hendrickson was meant to find things: lost coins, perfume bottles, even hidden treasure. Her endless curiosity eventually led to her career in diving and paleontology, where she would continue to find things big and small. In 1990, at a dig in South Dakota, Sue made her biggest discovery to date: SUE the T. rex, the largest and most complete T. rex skeleton ever unearthed. Named in Sue's honor, Sue the T. rex would be placed on permanent exhibition at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. When Sue Found Sue inspires readers to take a closer look at the world around them and to never lose their brave, adventurous spirits.

Hardcover

For readers ages 4-8 years

Written by Toni Buzzeo, Illustrated by Diana Sudyka

The Field Mouse and the Dinosaur Named SUE

Product #: 140800

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In the hot, dry hills of South Dakota, a tiny Field Mouse lives a peaceful existence in a burrow beneath an old, sturdy bone. That is, until his life is turned upside down by the intrusion of noisy voices, clamorous clatters, and thunderous bangs! Leaving his cozy burrow, the mouse ventures outside and discovers a strange group of people chirping, scratching, and hammering all around him. Baffled, he returns to his home, only to find that his roof his very special bone is gone! Determined to recover his bone, the Field Mouse sets out on a search that leads him all the way to the halls of the world-famous Field Museum in Chicago, and face-to-face with a 67-million-year-old dinosaur named SUE.

The true story of the largest, most complete T. rex ever found is given a whimsical treatment in this imaginative storybook. With its breathtaking illustrations, this tale will bring the fascinating story of the dinosaur named Sue to life for children of all ages.

Hardcover

For readers ages 3 years and up

Written by Jan Wahl and Illustrated by Bob Doucet

A Dinosaur Named SUE: The Find of the Century

Product #: X4756

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Follows the amazing story of SUE, the largest and most complete T. rex fossil ever found, from their discovery in the Badlands of South Dakota in 1990 to the exciting restoration work leading up to their spring 2000 public debut.

Paperback

For readers ages 4 - 8 years

Written by Fay Robinson with the SUE Science team of the Field Museum

Rosie the Tarantula: A True Adventure in Chicago's Field Museum

Product #: X3225

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Based on a true story, Rosie the Tarantula: A True Adventure in Chicago's Field Museum is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the Field Museum's treasures through the eyes of Rosie, a member of the Museum's live arachnid collection.

Several years ago, Rosie went on an expedition to the wonders of the Field's soaring halls, such as SUE the T. rex, as well as the secret specimens of animal fossils and human artifacts hidden away in drawers, cabinets, and bins. Renowned Field Museum artist-in-residence Peggy Macnamara brings the marvels of the museum to vivid life in a set of gorgeous and meticulously accurate watercolors. Peggy's daughter Katie narrates the story of this restless arachnid in rhyme ideal for reading aloud to children.

A keepsake quality book that will delight budding young scientists and their families, Rosie the Tarantula provides a colorful, interactive experience with one of Chicago's foremost cultural institutions. This one-of-a-kind book is rounded out by fascinating notes for adult readers, and other fun features for further reading.

Introduce your little one into the wonderful and whimsical world of little Jurassic, with everyone's favorite chomp dinosaur character! Featuring 10 full-color and beautifully designed pages of unique artwork by our talented Madelyn Kozlowski, and a soft, padded cover for your young one. This is the perfect book to read to your young one before bed. They will instantly connect and fall in love with chomp and the adventure that awaits, and slowly drift off to sleepy land. Let their imagination run wild and introduce your young one to this amazing book today.

For ages 6 months and up

Board book

10 pages

Illustrated by Madelyn Kozlowski

Natures Portraits: A Coloring Book of Scales Tails Furs and Wings

Product #: X2007

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When it comes to color, nothing can surpass the vast palette found in nature, from a bright green leaf in a sun-dappled forest to the rich red feathers of a cardinal and the muted greens, ambers, and browns that make up the shell of a tortoise. Wildlife artist Peggy Macnamara, Artist-in-Residence at the Field Museum, has been recreating the natural world through her drawings and paintings for decades, and, with Nature's Portraits, she invites the rest of the world to join her.

Paperback

128 pages

Illustrated by Peggy Macnamara

Science Ninjas: Big Trouble with Simple Machines

Product #: 141590

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Three young heroes test their strength, mettle, and physics knowledge against a diabolical assortment of obstacles they can only solve with the clever application of simple machines - ramps, wedges, screws, levers, pulleys, wheels, and axles. Can they push past these games and their own personal problems over six chapters - one for every simple machine - and prove themselves worthy Science Ninjas?

Along the way, readers 8 and up learn principles of force, work, mechanical advantage, and compound machines. There's even an illustrated appendix of experiments readers can do at home to build their own simple machines!

Hardcover

For readers ages 8 to 12 years

Written by Nathan Schreiber

Everyone Poops

Product #: 140202

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Shows how creatures throughout the animal world, including humans, deal with the products of digestion.

For readers ages 5 - 6 years

Paperback, 27 pages

Written by Taro Gomi and Illustrated by Amanda Mayer Stinchecum

A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks

Product #: 141976

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With a voice both wise and witty, Gwendolyn Brooks crafted poems that captured the urban Black experience and the role of women in society. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago, reading and writing constantly from a young age, her talent lovingly nurtured by her parents. Brooks ultimately published 20 books of poetry, two autobiographies, and one novel. Alice Faye Duncan has created her own song to celebrate Gwendolyn’s life and work, illuminating the tireless struggle of revision and the sweet reward of success.

For readers ages 5 and up

Hardcover, 48 pages

Written by Alice Faye Duncan and illustrated by Xia Gordon

Dinosaurs Board Book

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With cool things to push, pull, and slide on the cover and every spread for interactive fun, this chunky board book gives children their first enticing taste of nonfiction!

All children dream of meeting a dinosaur—and now they can travel back in time and get to know creatures like Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Triceratops, and more. Bright illustrations, with pull-tabs and wheels for little hands to spin, bring to life simple facts about kids’ favorite prehistoric creatures.

For readers ages 1 - 4 years

Board book, 10 pages

Illustrated by Chorkung

Dinosaur Discovery

Product #: 140021

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Introduce young readers to amazing dinosaurs with this interactive "Lift-the-Flap Adventures" book!

Lift the flap . . . and enter the prehistoric world! From Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops to Stegosaurus and Velociraptor, this fun and interactive board book introduces toddlers to some favorite dinosaurs. When kids look under the flap, they’ll see a detail of each animal and discover fun facts in rhyming verse.

Children will see the natural world around them with brand new eyes, as they learn to follow its signs, hear its language, and understand its secrets. With this unique and compelling book written by expert environmental educator Devin Franklin, kids aged 8 to 13 will build their own relationship with nature through finding a “Sit Spot” — an outdoor space in the backyard, in a field or in the woods, in a vacant lot or a city park — where they can stop, observe, and become familiar with the flora and fauna that live there.

From the Six Arts of Tracking (Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How) and making a habitat map to walking in smooth silence like a fox and learning the basics of bird language, exploration exercises lead young readers on a fascinating journey of discovery as they watch, listen, map, interpret, and write about the sounds, sights, scents, and patterns they encounter. With prompts and write-in spaces for journaling, map-making activities, and observational tracking throughout, Put On Your Owl Eyes is an interactive and thought-provoking guidebook.

For readers ages 8 - 13 years

Paperback, 160 pages

Written by Devin Franklin

On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?

Product #: 141435

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Jump-start curiosity with this take-along field guide for children ages 4 to 8. From worms, birds, and spiders to trees, flowers, and clouds, young explorers learn what to look and listen for wherever they are — whether in a nature preserve, an urban park, or a suburban backyard. Seek-and-find lists, on-the-trail art projects, and discovery games get kids engaged in hands-on learning about nature, and a real pull-out magnifying glass helps them get a close-up glimpse of leaf veins, seed pods, and tiny insects. Filled with activities, checklists, and stickers, this interactive nature guide belongs in every kid’s backpack.

For readers 4 - 8 years

Hardcover

48 pages

Children's Picture Atlas

Product #: X3941

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This beautifully illustrated picture atlas takes children on a magical journey around the world. Each map is crammed with fascinating details to pore over and talk about, making this a wonderful book for sharing.

For readers ages 5 and up

Hardcover, 48 pages

Written by Ruth Brocklehurst and illustrated by Linda Edwards

Count to 100

Product #: 141472

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One full moon, 2 little dogs, 10 red peppers, 100 twinkling stars… Counting to 100 becomes effortless and fun with this gorgeously illustrated, hardback picture book for little children. Each page has a certain number of things to count, from boats and trees to swirling leaves and pretty flowers, with lots of things to spot and talk about too.

There are number patterns, pictures, and lots of extra things to spot along the way. A double gatefold at the end opens to reveal an impressive array of 100 stars.

For readers ages 3 years and up

Board book, 24 pages

Written by Felicity Brooks and illustrated by Sophia Touliatou

Everything Awesome About Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts!

Product #: 141488

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The Boys' Book of Survival meets Dav Pilkey with a prehistoric twist, in this definitive, go-to book about everything AWESOME you EVER wanted to know about dinosaurs. Discover a wealth of weird, wacky, and wild facts about dinosaurs, told in Mike Lowery's signature comic style with bright and energetic artwork, fresh framing devices, and hilarious jokes. This will be the go-to book for dinosaur enthusiasts that kids will put in their backpacks and obsess over, bridging the gap between encyclopedic nonfiction content and lighter picture book fare, filling the need with a one-stop shop for the legions of 6-9 year olds who want to know absolutely everything there is to know about dinosaurs.